Don't Believe Me (Just Watch)
by Shades0fCool
Summary: Levi is absolutely certain he'll never fall for the adorable brat sharing his apartment. The only problem is that said brat just loves a good challenge, and what better way to prove his stubborn roommate wrong than with a simple bet?


"I wanna fuck."

"Don't we all?"

"But I _really_ wanna fuck," Eren sighed, his head dropping back onto the sofa, PlayStation controller forgotten on the floor between his long legs.

"We're gonna lose if you don't get your head back in the game. And then you're in for housework for _one week._ Don't even think I'm letting you get away this time," Levi remarked, shooting his roommate a glance from the corner of his eye. Usually, Eren never lost, especially not of his own accord and _especially_ not when chores were at stake. Maybe he really _did_ need to get laid. Levi tried to juggle remembering the last time Eren had brought someone to the apartment and fighting a level 150 Paladin with his level 54 sword while Eren did absolutely nothing to help. No, he had chosen to lift his shorts and peek at his junk instead.

"Levi, do you think it's because of my junk?"

"What?" Levi asked incredulously. Surely that idiot wasn't serious, and yet still, Levi felt the ridiculous urge to assure him that there was nothing wrong with his junk. Junk in general was a very delicate affair among men after all.

"Eren, nothing's wrong with your junk," Levi sighed, though his sincere tone revealed how much he meant it. "Nothing, okay?"

Eren bit his lip and inched closer, so close that their shoulders were touching and Levi could feel his ever-hot skin on his own.

"Are you sure?" he whispered, his voice wavering. Maybe it was because of genuine uncertainty, maybe it was because of… something else.

"Positive."

"Maybe… you could take a look? You know, just to confirm your theory?"

Levi groaned as he smashed various keys on his controller, refusing to accept defeat just yet. If Eren wanted him to inspect his dick for any imperfections, he'd have to wait until this game was over, because Levi never gave up before that and he sure as hell wouldn't start now.

"You're gonna lose anyway," Eren murmured, his breath whispering across the slightly moist skin of Levi's neck, forcing him to suppress a delighted shiver. "Just quit and help your best roommate get rid of his insecurities."

"You're my _only_ roommate," Levi huffed, averting neither his eyes nor his attention from the game on the screen. However, his resolve began to seriously falter as soon as Eren's very bare toes brushed their way up Levi's just as bare legs. And then Eren's fingers danced along the waistband of Levi's shorts, just briefly, before slipping beneath the hem of his shirt and running his nails over his skin. Admittedly, it was getting rather hard to focus on fighting tooth and nail against the excess of enemies on the screen when Eren used all the touches he knew turned Levi on. They'd basically found out everything there was to know about each other over the time they lived together. Sharing an apartment left little unrevealed. But they'd never gone _there_ , and Levi didn't want to. They were roommates; friends. He had no desire whatsoever to tarnish that relationship by throwing some sex into the mix.

Though he wasn't exactly opposed to leading Eren to believe he'd get anywhere with those fake-innocent touches of his. Especially because the last time Levi had been fucked by somebody seemed like ages ago—centuries if he was going for someone who'd fucked him _good—_ and damn, the speck of attention Eren was giving felt almost too good to deny. One had to take his pleasures where he could after all, especially when 1) being on an ongoing, involuntary dry spell and 2) a gorgeous brunette was handing them out for free.

 _Goodness, now he's even using those plush lips of his._

Levi bit down on a small moan that wanted to slip from between his lips, releasing a helpless hum instead. Eren chuckled softly against his jawline while he continued to map out its curve with his lips—no kissing, no nibbling; just warm, soft lips on salty skin. What Levi wanted to do was close his eyes and _enjoy_ , so he was really quite lucky that the game still required his attention, or else he would have probably done just that.

It was the first time Eren had ever gone this far in his playful advances. The fact that Levi was so affected by Eren's attempts at seduction was probably a sad commentary on his ability to control his urges. Levi prided himself on being quite steadfast in the art of resisting, but with Eren, he'd rather not put his self-restraint to the test. He _was_ pretty damn gorgeous after all, with his ocean eyes and the lean body with that positively edible tan of his… Levi sucked in a sharp breath and shook his head, chasing the mental images away. Better safe than sorry. The universe obviously backed his decision when his virtual enemy finally dealt the finishing blow, leaving Levi's warrior in a bloody heap on the ground. _Game Over_ flashed obnoxiously over the TV, and Levi took that as his cue to let Eren know that whatever game _he_ was playing was just as over as the one on the console. Levi chucked the controller with a drawn-out sigh and affixed narrowed eyes to the boy who'd practically straddled his lap by now as if it was perfectly normal behavior between the two of them. Levi was momentarily caught in the gentle sway of his scantily clad hips before he managed to get a grip on himself _and_ Eren's butt cheeks to still his way too animated movements on his lap.

"Just what do you think you're doing, Eren?" Levi asked, head tilting back to meet familiar green eyes.

Eren gave a teasing push against Levi's palms and shrugged, lips curling into a lopsided smile. The pads of his fingers were carding through Levi's soft undercut when he said, "Using the extensive knowledge I have about you to get you to hook up with me."

An incredulous chuckle escaped Levi in response. Eren's sharp tongue had always been one of the traits Levi had adored most about his roommate, even when it left him at a loss for words. Or maybe especially then.

Eren laughed along with him. Then he bent down and wrapped his arms around his roommate's neck, lips just barely brushing his earlobe. "Is it working?"

Levi tugged at the back of Eren's shorts, adding some much-needed distance between them. "No, brat. It's not."

Eren hooked his fingers into the straps of Levi's tank top, making a show of wrapping them around his index fingers. Levi shut his mouth and resorted to watching in silence. He was too curious to see what Eren had in mind with his shirt to stop him just yet.

"What are you—mh, god _damn."_

One moment, Eren was goofing around with Levi's shirt, in the next he had pressed his palms flat to his chest to brush them in circles over Levi's nipples. The touch chased an electric tingle across Levi's skin and he had serious trouble keeping that off his face. If he gave in now, Eren would only become more smug and more daring, which was rather precarious at this point. Levi was not above admitting that to himself. Maybe it was the hot summer frying his brain or the fact that he was seriously underlaid, but having Eren this close made it increasingly more difficult to stick to his self-imposed _roommates are taboo_ rule.

He pushed the eager brunette's hands away, only to receive a sneaky roll of his hips against his crotch. A low moan spilled before he could stop it. The mere fact that this little sound was another admission of weakness on his part when it came to Eren peeved him to no end. Grabbing Eren by the hips before he could repeat the titillating movement, he flipped the boy on the sofa and used his body weight to pin him into the soft cushion.

"Is it working now?" Eren teased, his lust-filled eyes raking over Levi's flushed face. Eren might not have the most experience when it came to guys, but he recognized arousal when he saw it. And his stoic roommate was _definitely_ aroused.

Eren smiled cheekily and wrapped his tone legs around the shorter man's waist, giving him a rough pull that had their bodies pressed flush against each other. In a matter of seconds, Eren's hand had slipped beneath Levi's tank, warm fingertips mapping out his ribs. God, that guy was too damn fast. Levi had to resort to other means to get him to quit—so he pinched his thigh, _hard_. Eren yelped and pawed at the red welt, giving Levi just enough time to extricate himself from his full-body grasp and flee to the safety of the far corner of the living room. The telltale signs were there and they lingered; the rapid beating of his heart, his half-hard cock, the undeniable desire that flared through his body from head to toe. He watched Eren, telling himself it was only because he wanted to make sure he wasn't coming after him, when in reality he knew he was unable to take his eyes off him—of the way he laid there on the sofa, breathing heavily through parted lips. He was so… beautiful. And so ready for the taking.

"Did I… misunderstand?" Eren asked, sitting up.

His features grew uncertain for a moment, and fuck, this expression alone was almost enough to bring Levi to his knees. Because under all that smoking hot, devil-may-care attitude was still the same Eren Levi knew; the innocent, adorable brunette who laughed too loud at his own jokes when he was insecure. Green eyes flicked nervously to Levi's shorts and the prominent outline of his cock beneath it, before traveling up to fix the older man with a bemused look.

"To me, it looks like you actually want this. I know that _I_ want it. So what's the problem?"

Levi pinched the bridge of his nose before he took a deep breath and leaned against the wall in an attempt to regain his composure with nonchalance.

"The problem is that we are roommates. We are _friends._ I like being friends with you and I don't want to fuck this up just because we're horny and bored."

Eren sat up with a pout on his full lips, one of those that always led Levi to imagine what it must taste like to nibble on them. "I'm not just horny and bored. I want to find out what it feels like to have sex with you."

Levi's heart did a stupid somersault inside his chest, making his next breath harder than it should be. He'd just opened his mouth to utter something in return, maybe how sex with him wasn't anything special or how they weren't compatible because both of them were bottoms, when Eren got to his feet and rushed to Levi's side. His scent, fresh like pine trees with a tender salt note that reminded Levi of the ocean Eren was so fond of, sneaked into his nose and rendered him speechless.

"Levi, I _can_ top," he whispered insistently, as if he'd read Levi's mind. His breath was hot against Levi's cheek, laced with the faint traces of their afternoon coffee.

"You actually _can't_ top, because you've never tried it before. We both know that."

"How about learning by doing? I'd love to learn by doing you."

Levi had never experienced brain outage in his entire thirty-one years of living and now his dorky roommate who liked to eat cereal with half-burned bacon turned out to be a major trigger for it. Just when had Eren come up with all those lines Levi couldn't even begin fathom finding a reply to? He was tongue-tied. And he was turned on.

Levi crossed his arms, stifling a low groan when the motion made him graze his nipples, which were _still_ too damn oversensitive from Eren's touch. "That's beside the point. You're my friend and I'm not having sex with you. It's not worth it."

Eren's eyebrows raised in disbelief. Then he took a step closer, grabbed Levi by the hip and pulled him towards himself, chest to chest. The older man released an embarrassing little sound between a moan and a squeak, and even as he was trying to fight it, he felt himself leaning into Eren's arms.

"Who says it's not worth it? I _am_ worth it, Levi. Just grant me one time. All I need is one time to prove it."

As if to emphasize his words, he tugged Levi closer, his hard arousal pressing into his side, effectively distracting his attention for a moment. Just one moment though, because Levi was resilient enough to ward off any more.

He sighed and looked up at Eren's face, not because he trusted himself enough to look into his eyes right then, but just because he _loved_ doing it.

"One time is enough to mess this up, Eren. And then there's no going back."

They gazed at each other; so long and intensely that being locked in Eren's arms felt a little bit more right with every moment they blinked away. Just when Levi opened his mouth to say something, Eren dropped his arms and took a step back. Levi observed as his expression morphed from hurt to irritation.

"Fine. You know what? Nevermind. Maybe it's really not worth it."

With that, he turned on his heel and rushed off, leaving Levi standing there with his mouth open. A few minutes later, the entrance door shut with a loud _thump_ and Levi was alone.

Levi was still alone at dinner and still alone when he got ready for bed about two hours after that. Eren had neither called nor messaged. By the time Levi had caved in and sent him a curt text asking where he was around 11.30 pm, he'd not really expected a reply and he hadn't gotten any. Levi tried to dismiss the gnawing sensation in his gut as worrying about a friend, because that was what friends did, they fucking worried if their roommate stormed off while he was obviously pissed. They worried even more if said friend wasn't back by midnight and refused to let anyone know where he was or if he was okay. Levi spit toothpaste and rinsed. Had he upset Eren by turning him down? Surely he understood Levi's reasoning for why they shouldn't go past a casual, friendly relationship. Finding a decent roommate was hard enough as it was, especially someone who was not only fairly affable with passable brains and a nice sense of humor, but also adjusting to Levi's ridiculously high cleaning standards. Eren fit the bill regarding all those things. Sure, another bill he fit was the hella attractive bill. As well as the cute as fuck when he wanted to be bill. It wasn't hard to guess that he'd make formidable boyfriend material. For someone who was just as chipper and hot-headed as he was, someone he could butt heads with and have raunchy make-up sex afterwards. Someone _young._ Even if Eren was getting a grand time out of teasing Levi on the regular, be it with a quick kiss to his neck while he was bent over the stove or a playful rub of his bottom when he was brushing his teeth at night, Levi had never taken it for anything more than what it was—juvenile hunger for anything physical. Levi would not make the mistake of falling for Eren's libido-fueled curiosity, especially not when their quaint friendship and even quainter cohabitation were on the line. He'd get over it. It was just some kind of weird quirk that would fade as soon as he found himself someone to quench his thirst.

Levi turned around and kicked off the sheets, seeking some cool air on his overheated skin. Trost summers were merciless. He had never been a good sleeper to begin with, but the heat was making it almost impossible. He looked up at the glowy stars Eren had put up on his ceiling when he'd studied for his astronomy exam last semester. He'd sworn the lighting in Levi's room was _just perfect_ to see all the constellations and tiny planets at night. Levi had still refused to let him share his bed as a mean of _preparation_ for the exam. Funnily enough, he'd never taken the stars off, not even when Eren had passed his astronomy class and didn't need them anymore. As Levi laid there, looking up at the ceiling and trying to remember all the constellations he'd made Eren review back then, he couldn't help thinking how nice they shimmered in the dim light. He'd never admit it to anyone, least of all Eren, but he'd gotten used to watching them; to follow their peculiar trails until his eyes grew heavy and he'd finally fall into a few hours of restless sleep. Levi was staring hard at the stars now, willing them to work their usual magic, but even as he did, he knew he wouldn't be able to find reprieve tonight. Something inside him was fluttering and pounding, sending tingles and goosebumps over his skin and he was just—dammit, why wasn't Eren back yet? He was a twenty-one-year-old college student, it wouldn't have been out of character to come home sometime in the early morning; it was just that it was unusual for _Eren_ to do it. He was much more the kind of guy to spend his weekend on the sofa playing video games than going out to party the night away. Levi flipped over once again, unable to find a comfortable position. The stars twinkled down at him, as if they knew everything Levi didn't.

Sometime later, Levi woke to something warm and equally soft wrapping around his body. He knew for a fact it wasn't the thin blanket he used during summers, because it felt too… _nice_ to not be alive. Eren had sneaked into bed with him and it irked Levi that he recognized him not because he'd seen his face or heard his voice, but because of the distinct scent that would make Levi find him in a crowd of people. It smelled like the first breeze of an early spring, but was now overshadowed by cheap alcohol. _Strong_ alcohol.

"You still haven't taken the stars down," Eren whispered, his voice sounding foreign as well as perfectly apposite in the quietness of Levi's room. Eren's body moved against Levi's back, his arms squeezing him a little tighter, holding him a little closer. He nosed against Levi's undercut, his spirits-laced breath dancing over the fine silk of his hair.

Levi could tell Eren that the only reason why the stars were still up there on his ceiling was that he had no intention of doing Eren's dirty work for him. He could also tell him that he didn't care if they were there or not, that it didn't make a difference one way or the other. But for some reason, he said neither of those things. They didn't feel right. They felt… like an excuse, perhaps. Or an escape.

"I know," he said simply.

What he should do was push Eren away. He should slip out of his embrace and tell him to go sleep in his own room. After what had happened between them today, he could allow nothing that would give the boy hope regarding his earlier advances. Yeah… that was what Levi _should_ do. Why he did neither, he'd never know. Maybe it just felt too good to be bundled up in somebody's arms, maybe he just wasn't strong enough to deny himself the warm proximity of someone he treasured.

"You've been drinking," Levi stated after a little while. Eren sighed, the warm breath of air tingling through Levi's hair and across his skin.

"Right."

Levi huffed. "Was it because of what happened earlier?"

"Right again," Eren breathed.

With the way they were pressed together, Levi's back to Eren's front, he couldn't see what Eren was doing. What expression he wore, which emotions reflected on his face. That was why he couldn't pinpoint the exact moment Eren's lips brushed his neck, only to travel down along the ivory curve of his shoulder. Levi shivered despite himself. He opened his mouth to say _no_ , but all that made it out was a fragile moan, and he hated himself for it. He wasn't the type to act unlike himself. He liked control. And something about Eren made him lose it. Being caught in this odd haze of stasis, he did neither protest nor pull away when Eren's legs slipped under his, spreading them in order to accommodate his lean waist in between. All Levi could see was a soft silhouette of his body and the chiseled features of his face, faintly illuminated by the stars above him.

The slightly rough pads of Eren's fingers touched Levi's cheek and he fought the urge to lean into the touch.

"It's a good thing you didn't take the stars down yet," Eren said quietly while he continued to caress Levi's face with gentle touches, thumbing at all the slivers of pastel light the stars created on his skin. "I wouldn't want to miss the way you look right now."

Levi didn't want to, wasn't supposed to—and yet still, he smiled. It was just a small twitch of his lips, unnoticeable to anyone who didn't know him well enough to recognize it for what it was. And Eren did know him; he knew him so well that he smiled back.

When Eren bent down—slowly, achingly slow—Levi knew he was giving him time to back out. He was offering him a chance to stop before a line between them was crossed. For a brief moment, Levi thought he wouldn't be able to take it. The moment had something magical about it and Levi felt positively beguiled by it. But just before Eren's lips could taste his, he turned his face away. Those plush lips skimmed his cheek instead before they pulled away. The spell was broken. Levi sat up and untangled his legs from Eren's. The boy watched him with wide eyes, lips pressed into a tight line.

"Eren… you're drunk. You're drunk and you're acting irresponsibly. Just… go to bed. Sleep it off. We'll talk about this in the morning."

Eren's vicinity had an ever so distracting effect on Levi, so he tried to put another few inches between them for good measure. Before he could, Eren's hand grabbed his own and pulled him closer, effectively erasing the bit of distance he'd created.

"Yes, I am drunk. With how you treated me today, you should be glad I'm not considering moving out."

Levi raised an eyebrow at him. Even if he wasn't sure whether Eren really meant what he'd said, it was hard to keep up his indifferent exterior at the prospect of him moving out. It was... an unsettling thought, to say the least. "And how _did_ I treat you, exactly? All I did was tell you that I don't want to fuck with you."

Eren huffed. Even in the dim light, Levi could see his irritated expression, his flushed face. His radiant eyes, which seemed to lighten the room all on their own.

"Why?" he bit out, rum-flavored breath kissing Levi's face.

"Again, Eren? Because you're my roommate and my friend, and if you want it to stay that way, we're not having sex with each other. Got it?"

"But what if I don't want to be just a friend? What if I want to be more?"

"You don't," Levi said, his expression betraying his skepticism.

Which only served to rile up Eren even more. "Why can't I make that decision for myself?"

"Eren, let's be honest here." Levi had the urge to reach out and squeeze Eren's shoulder. It felt strange to have this conversation, but it felt even stranger not to touch Eren while they did. "We both know you have a crazy appetite for sex. And you haven't gotten the chance to sate it recently, so it's only natural that you're pent up. This," he gestured between them with his index finger, "is just misguided affection. I know you, you know me. We're comfortable around each other. We live together. Do you see what I'm getting at?"

"Levi… yes. I do know you. This is not just misguided affection. I'm mature enough to know the difference."

The difference? Surely he didn't mean…

"Are you telling me you have feelings for me?"

Eren averted his gaze, his teeth chewing his lush bottom lip. "I don't know."

"And you think sex is the way to find out?"

"Yes, actually, I do. It sure would speed up the whole process. But it's not just about the sex… What I'm trying to say is that I know what you want in a partner. And I know that I can give it to you."

Levi leaned back against the headboard of the bed, crossing his arms while he appraised Eren critically. "Sounds like you're quite sure of yourself, brat."

Eren slipped a few inches closer, his knees now brushing Levi's thigh. "You know what? Don't believe me. Watch. Five days," Eren said, holding up his hand, fingers splayed to indicate the number. "I say I can make you fall for me in five days. If I fail, I'll just be a friend to you. I'll never mention anything about taking this further again. That's what you want, right? If you're so certain we don't fit together, you've got nothing to lose."

Levi's lips opened to utter a retort, but then he stopped and allowed himself a moment to ponder Eren's proposal. If the boy could get over this imaginary infatuation with him, he'd be able to find himself somebody else. He'd redirect his attention and lose interest in Levi, and they could go back to being friends. Because… that's what it was, right? Eren only fancied himself interested in Levi, nothing more. They were close and he probably seemed attainable enough. A tiny voice at the back of his head told Levi he was insane for even considering going along with Eren's suggestion. But realistically speaking, this proposition might be just what they both needed. An ideal solution. Eren would realize none of his supposed attraction was real and when he did, Levi would get his friend and roommate back without having to worry about any feelings he wasn't ready to reciprocate.

"You've got yourself a deal."


End file.
